Cocktails, Statues and Secrets
Cocktails, Statues and Secrets is the fourteenth story in the Manchester Chronicles, immediately following the events of Busker, Lawyer, Enchanter, Spy. At Helena Atkinson's birthday party in Manchester events quickly go awry as many schemes and secrets come into play, including those of Karen Barker, Kieran Hawthorne, Heather Prescott,Elizabeth Moncrieff and Aurora Perrot. Summary Nicola Bennett ends up the first victim of Aurora Perrot, Josina Van der Meer and Clara Eccelstone, who are using Type-7 to prank the guests of Helena Atkinson's birthday party in Manchester. Soon Heather Prescott arrives with 'date' Verity Knight and learns that Sharon Wilcox has developed a crush on Elizabeth Moncrieff, though she doesn't tell Kieran Hawthorne, who is sort-of dating Elizabeth. Heather and Kieran both quickly learn about Aurora's pranks as she targets others, but Kieran is distracted by the presence of Ben Cheeseman while Heather observes Sandra Moncrieff and Geoffrey Atherton not getting along. Carole Sault, helping to cater the evening, learns of Aurora's pranks as well and gets some Type-7 for her own use. Karen Barker attempts to target Kieran so she can steal his files on Albion Express for Ziba Khoroushi but repeatedly fails. Eventually, after Aurora manages to freeze Heather and Helena (and also unknowingly instigating a break-up between Geoffrey and Sandra), Kieran, Sandra and Elizabeth manage to deal with the pranksters. Ashlynne Krueger tries to speak with Kieran about his relationship with Heather but Karen uses Carole and a Type-7 Chip to get them to drink Type-7, finally stealing Kieran's USB drive. Heather initially assumes the worst after seeing them posed kissing but finds comfort from Sandra. Heather sees reason after Ashlynne and Kieran explain, Heather and Kieran then stopping time to find Karen, as Kieran has figured out she's responsible for the events he experienced earlier that day. Karen it thwarted, Kieran convinced to add her to he and Heather's collection, the two allies then having fun while time is frozen before delivering Karen to Heather's place along with Ebo. As the party winds down everyone not frozen starts to dance together. At his home after the party Kieran is frozen by Elizabeth using Freezing Draught, who then discovers he has a book with a section on the Winterborne Armband highlighted. Appearing Lisa Dwan 2.jpeg|Nicola Bennett (Lisa Dwan)|link=Nicola Bennett Adelaide Kane 2.jpg|Aurora Perrot (Adelaide Kane)|link=Aurora Perrot Laura Brent 2.jpg|Josina Van der Meer (Laura Brent)|link=Josina Van der Meer Anna Popplewell 2.jpg|Clara Eccelstone (Anna Popplewell)|link=Clara Eccelstone Kaya Scodelario 15.jpg|Heather Prescott (Kaya Scodelario)|link=Heather Prescott Felicity Jones.jpg|Verity Knight (Felicity Jones)|link=Verity Knight Rebecca Ferguson 5.png|Elizabeth Moncrieff (Rebecca Ferguson)|link=Elizabeth Moncrieff Clara Paget.jpg|Sandra Moncrieff (Clara Paget)|link=Sandra Moncrieff Eddie Redmayne 2.jpg|Geoffrey Atherton (Eddie Redmayne)|link=Geoffrey Atherton Summer Bishil 2.jpeg|Helena Atkinson (Summer Bishil)|link=Helena Atkinson Kelly Reilly 2.jpg|Sharon Wilcox (Kelly Reilly)|link=Sharon Wilcox Colin O'Donoghue 3.jpg|Kieran Hawthorne (Colin O'Donoghue)|link=Kieran Hawthorne Nora Arnezeder 2.jpg|Carole Sault (Nora Arnezeder)|link=Carole Sault Amrita Rao 2.jpg|Rosalind Boatwright (Amrita Rao)|link=Rosalind Boatwright Jack Whitehall 2.jpg|Ben Cheeseman (Jack Whitehall)|link=Ben Cheeseman Karla Cheatham Mosley 3.jpg|Karen Barker (Karla Cheatham Mosley)|link=Karen Barker Tamsin Egerton 2.jpg|Chelsea Hunter-Weston (Tamsin Egerton)|link=Chelsea Hunter-Weston Gabriella Wilde 2.jpg|Saffron FitzClarence (Gabriella Wilde)|link=Saffron FitzClarence Galadriel Stineman 2.jpg|Hannah Rothstein (Galadriel Stineman)|link=Hannah Rothstein Georgie Henley 2.jpg|Miroslava Viktorov (Georgie Henley)|link=Miroslava Viktorov Talulah Riley.jpg|Priscilla Trafford (Talulah Riley)|link=Priscilla Trafford Maria Amanda 3.jpg|Ashlynne Krueger (Maria Amanda)|link=Ashlynne Krueger Charlotte le Bon 2.jpg|Nanette Girard (Charlotte le Bon)|link=Nanette Girard Erin Brady.jpg|Amanda Blackburn (Erin Brady)|link=Amanda Blackburn Natalia Siwiec 2.jpg|Halina Piontek (Natalia Siwiec)|link=Halina Piontek Teri Reeves.png|Lysette Banner (Teri Reeves)|link=Lysette Banner Ni Ni 2.jpg|Jenny Mao (Ni Ni)|link=Jenny Mao Angelababy 2.jpg|Nancy Ruan (Angela Yeung Wing)|link=Nancy Ruan Desi Lydic 2.jpg|Marianne Atkinson (Desi Lydic)|link=Marianne Atkinson Mica Burton 2.jpg|Misha Frakes (Mica Burton)|link=Misha Frakes James Buckley 2.jpg|Stratford Darlington (James Buckley)|link=Stratford Darlington Amy Hoggart.jpg|Connie Cobb (Amy Hoggart)|link=Connie Cobb Alex Pettyfer 2.jpg|Chazz Harrington (Alex Pettyfer)|link=Chazz Harrington Holly Willoughby 2.jpg|Rachel Williams (Holly Willoughby)|link=Rachel Williams Blaze Berdahl.jpg|Ebo (Blaze Berdahl)|link=Ebo Category:Stories Category:Manchester Chronicles